securities arbitration
Arbitration, Primer

What is Securities Arbitration?

Securities arbitration has become the most often-used method of resolving disputes in the securities industry. Since the late 1970’s,  FINRA and its predecessors have required brokerage firms and stock brokers into securities arbitration to resolve their disputes with each other, and with their customers. That requirement led to brokerage firms requiring, through their customer agreements, that their customers must use FINRA arbitration to resolve any dispute.


Mark J. Astarita, Esq., is a nationally recognized securities attorney who has represented parties in over 600 securities arbitrations. Be sure to read Overview of Securities Arbitration, his acclaimed analysis of the securities arbitration process, which has been downloaded tens of thousands of times.


Pre-dispute Arbitration ClausesSecurities arbitration

After much litigation and a decision by the United States Supreme Court, those arbitration agreements, known as “pre-dispute arbitration clauses” are valid and enforceable. Today,  mandatory arbitration clauses in other industries are being attacked by a variety of consumer groups, as being unfair to consumers, biased in favor of whatever industry is using the process, and a host of other allegations.

Securities Arbitration is Not Traditional Arbitration

Securities arbitrations are substantially different than other consumer arbitration procedures. While there are some issues with the process, the process bears no resemblance to the one being discussed by the anti-mandatory arbitration advocates.

Is Securities Arbitration Fair?

Every so often politicians, reporters, and investors start to complain that securities arbitration is not fair. Not so according to securities lawyer Mark Astarita who has represented investors, financial professionals, and brokerage firms in over 600 FINRA arbitrations. The process works well for most cases and is at least as fair as going to court. According to FINRA statistics, approximately 50% of all investor claims settle without a hearing, and investors receive compensation in half of the cases that go to a hearing. Assuming that the settlements were “wins” for the investors, that translates to a 75% “win” rate for investors.

Give up a Jury Trial?

The complaint that investors are giving up their right to a jury trial is true, but misleading. The simple fact is that jury trials are the exception in court cases, not the rule. According to the Annual Reports of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (as referenced by an article from the Bolch Judicial Institute
Duke Law School)
approximately 1 percent of all civil cases filed in federal court are resolved by trial, and only 0.7 percent are decided by juries. Less than 1% of court cases actually get to a jury.

While it certainly is a perceived benefit to have a trial by a jury, the simple fact is that you are not going to get there, and if you do, it will take years. With motions to dismiss, motions for summary judgment, motions to file amended pleadings, and motions to reargue motions that were denied, the process in court gets bogged down. And even if the plaintiff makes it through all of those motions, the final step before getting to a jury is the settlement conference, where a judge attempts to get the parties to settle the dispute. And a judge can be very persuasive in settlement discussions.

Motion Practice 

In FINRA arbitrations, there are very limited motions to dismiss. Very limited, so much so as to be non-existent. And there are no motions for summary judgment. While that might be a perceived benefit, it has problems of its own, but the parties will get their case decided by a panel of arbitrators – a panel that they had a significant role in choosing.

My article, Introduction to Securities Arbitration, is a walk-through of the entire process and has been downloaded tens of thousands of times. I updated it as needed, and it is available here.

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Featured Articles

Customer Claims in Arbitration

I have been representing customers and brokers in securities arbitration matters since 1982. In those 35 years I have handled over 700 securities arbitration cases. Since securities arbitration is such a large part of my practice, I also survey all of the arbitration awards that are entered in matters across the country, write columns for investors and brokers on the topic, and stay well informed on developments in this unique area of law. Today, FINRA administers virtually all of the securities arbitration disputes in this country, with the AAA and JAMS handing the remainder. From my work, and my review of the statistical summaries published by FINRA it is clear that investment disputes fall into very well-defined categories. Naturally, the type of cases that are filed is a function of the market. Not only are there fewer arbitrations when the markets are doing well, economic factors create different types of claims. For example, when Internet stocks fell in April 2000, the arbitration forums saw a significant increase in arbitration filings, and the emergence of a new category of claim, for over-concentration, or failure to diversify. As the markets improved in 2003, through 2007, we saw a sharp decrease in the number of arbitration ...

Expungement of Customer Complaints

You can remove derogatory reports from your CRD Report. Call 212-509-6544 to discuss the process with a securities law attorney. The problems associated with FINRA‘s CRD Disclosure System are well known to visitors to SECLaw.com, as we have written about the issue a number of times. The concept of disclosing every allegation, justified or not, against a registered person, to anyone who cared to ask, is unheard of in our system of justice. The addition of BrokerCheck, where the information is available to anyone with an Internet connection has made the situation intolerable. For that reason, we are often asked to file an expungement request with FINRA, to remove unwarranted items from the CRD system The interests of investor protection overrode the concepts of fundamental fairness and due process for brokers, and today there is full disclosure of every wart, pimple and untrue allegation made against a broker. Not fair to the broker, but of a theoretical benefit to the investing public. Part of the problem are customer arbitrations. Customers can file an arbitration against a broker for anything, at virtually no cost to the customer. They can say anything they want, it doesn’t cost them anything, and there is no penalty for ...

Insider Trading – The Legal and Illegal

Illegal insider trading is a serious securities law violation that carries potential civil and criminal penalties. Civilly, the penalties can be as large as three times the gross profit on the trading. An insider trading investigation by the SEC requires experienced securities counsel, as the initial investigation often dictates the final outcome. If you have questions regarding an SEC subpoena or an investigation, call Mark Astarita, Esq. at 212-509-6544. Mark and his partners have decades of securities litigation experience as SEC Staff attorneys, and broker-dealer attorneys. Insider Trading Definition “Insider trading” is a term that most investors have heard and usually associate with illegal conduct. Recent government actions, including the criminal case against Martha Stewart, have enforced that view. However, Martha Stewart was not convicted of insider trading; she was convicted for obstruction – lying to the SEC There is no statutory definition of “insider trading.” As defined by the courts, it refers to purchasing or selling a security while in possession of material, non-public information concerning that security, where the information is obtained from a breach of fiduciary duty or a duty arising from a relationship of trust or confidence. When we think of illegal insider trading, we think of a company’s executives, ...

Introduction to Blue Sky Laws

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Federal Securities Law, a Securities Lawyer Guide

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Cold Calling Rules

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Churned or Traded?

Churning claims dominated the securities arbitration landscape in the 2000’s, but have declined over the years, as the trading mania waned. As the markets improved, we have begun to see a resurgence of churning claims again. The common perception among the general public is that a customer who trades his or her account on a regular basis is a broker’s dream. While the commissions generated by such activity might very well enhance a broker’s payout, the activity could very easily turn into a broker’s nightmare if not carefully monitored. Churning Churning is excessive trading in a customer’s account by a broker taken in the context of the customer’s financial situation and investment objectives. While no one test is available to determine if an account has been churned, churning requires three elements, first, excessive trading, and second, control of the account by the Registered Representative, and three, intent to defraud the customer. The intent element is difficult to prove, but will typically be proven by establishment of the first two elements. The problem with customers who trade heavily with a retail broker is that the broker may later be subjected to a claim for churning, if the trading does not turn out to be profitable. ...

Responding to a Wells Notice

By Mark Astarita Being the subject, target, or even a witness in an SEC or a FINRA investigation is not a pleasant experience. As I discussed in my column “When the SEC Comes Calling” a financial professional’s involvement in a regulatory investigation or proceeding is extremely serious, and can be a career busting event. Receiving a Wells Notice could be worse. Interested readers should also read Tips for Responding to an SEC Subpoena. Be Prepared While careful preparation and use of experienced counsel is the key to a successful outcome, prospective defendants (who are called respondents in these types of proceedings) have a valuable tool in their arsenal when dealing with the regulators – the Wells Submission. My partners and I have been involved in hundreds of investigations with FINRA and the SEC. While we are often able to head off an investigation before we reach the Wells Notice stage, we have made countless wells submissions. If you have an SEC or an 8210 Request from FINRA, call us before you respond. We may be able to save you time, and your license. Wells Notice The process starts with a Wells Notice – a notification from a regulator that it intends to recommend that enforcement ...

How Long Does an SEC Investigation Take?

SEC investigations can be a harrowing experience for the witness as well as the targets. One of the first questions my clients ask when faced with a subpoena from the SEC is how long is this going to take? While I hate to give the typical lawyer answer, that answer is, “it depends.” Mark J. Astarita, Esq. is a national securities attorney with over 30 years of experience representing investors, traders, and financial professionals in SEC investigations, administrative proceedings, and court injunctive actions. For a free consultation regarding a securities law issue, email him at mja@sallahlaw.com It depends on the case. Investigations, where the SEC believes there is ongoing harm, can be in court in a matter of days. In fact, some investigations move to court before the target is even aware of the investigation. But that is rare, and it is hard to say how long an investigation takes. All SEC investigations are conducted privately. Investigators attempt to obtain facts and evidence, first through informal inquiries, then by examining brokerage records, and reviewing trading data, and then by serving subpoenas for documents, and ultimately testimony. Five Year Statute of Limitations? In theory, there is a statutory requirement that the SEC is required to bring an ...

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Mark J. Astarita, Esq. is a securities lawyer who represents investors, financial professionals and firms in litigation, arbitration and regulatory matters across the country. He is a partner in the national securities law firm of Sallah Astarita & Cox, LLC and can be reached by email at mja@sallahlaw.com or by phone at 212-509-6544.

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Securities Attorney at Sallah Astarita & Cox | 212-509-6544 | mja@sallahlaw.com | Website | + posts

Mark Astarita is a nationally recognized securities attorney, who represents investors, financial professionals and firms in securities litigation, arbitration and regulatory matters, including SEC and FINRA investigations and enforcement proceedings.

He is a partner in the national securities law firm Sallah Astarita & Cox, LLC, and the founder of The Securities Law Home Page - SECLaw.com, which was one of the first legal topic sites on the Internet. It went online in 1995 and is updated daily with news, commentary and securities law related links.

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